Cupcake Memories

So I know all of you loyal readers have been waiting in anticipation to hear all about my cupcake from Whole Foods so here it is in a nutshell:

When I was at Legacy Place over in Dedham a couple of weeks ago I was wondering around assuming I would find at least one small bakery to pick a cupcake up at. I was slightly disappointed to discover that no such place existed, and since I was planning on wandering over to Whole Foods anyway it seemed only fitting that I would venture over the baked goods area of the Whole Foods Megastore (seriously most ENORMOUS and EPIC WF there is). The whole foods bakery did not fail me there were 3 different cupcake options: yellow cake with lemon frosting, chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, and yellow cake with flower designs. Since I don't eat peanut butter and the flower ones were a lot bigger than the others it left me with one options:

Whole Foods Yellow Cake with Lemon Frosting Cupcake Review:
* the cake was drier, almost like a muffin texture, reminded me a lot of the cupcakes I ate in Ireland
*the frosting was very light and airy, but not with a very distictive lemon flavor
*the c:f was pretty much on the money, but the airy frosting was an interesting pairing with the denser cake.

Overall a decent cupcake, but certainly not THE BEST CUPCAKE IN BOSTON.

Yesterday I was in Sharon, Ma and noticed that the Starbucks that used to be in the town centre had been replaced by a bakery called "French Memories". I decided to check it out and pick up a green tea and a cupcake. The woman who was working there was very friendly, but also seemed perplexed by my asking for a cupcake. There were 3 options there as well-- yellow cake with vanilla frosting, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and pink cake with pink frosting? As tempted as I was to try the pink cupcake I decided to get a chocolate cake.

* the cupcake was a little larger than most of the ones I've had in the past. The cake itself was actually really good--moist and rich and with a definite chocolate flavor.
*I was really thrown off though because when I bit in I discovered that there was a chocolate pudding filling INSIDE my cupcake. Now maybe this is my personal preference, but I was not a fan of this filling inside my cupcake. It really threw me off and I was unable to pay much attention to the little frosting on top of the cake (the rest was covered in almost a chocolate dipping sauce sort of thing)
*Good cake, almost beats SWEET's carrot cake, but the filling and awkward frosting took away from the cupcake experience as a whole.

At this point I'd say SWEET's carrot cake is my favorite, but I'm keeping my eyes peeled and waiting for the next delicious cupcake to come my way. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


xo.
A

A SWEET Summer

I was so excited about my "Summer of Cupcakes" that I did not anticipate one major problem...I work ALL the time, and don't exactly have the time to wander around Boston looking for wonderful bakeries. Don't get me wrong, I have some free time, but I usually fill it with going to the gym and sleeping. But I have gotten to a couple of places and indulged in some delicious cupcakes, so I figured I'd share my thoughts of those and hopefully I'll have time to sample a few others before my summer disappears.

My first stop was SWEET. I had read about SWEET online, and my boss at Big Sister raves about their cupcakes so a couple of weeks ago I stopped into their location in Harvard Square and picked up 4 cupcakes: 2 vanilla, 1 chocolate, and 1 lemon for a little over $12. I had purchased the cupcakes for me and a couple of friends to split after dinner, but we were stuff from our fajitas at Borders and so I brought the cupcakes home instead. John and I each had a vanilla, Mom had the lemon, and (big surprise) Dad ate the chocolate cupcake. I sampled a little of both Mom and Dad's but came up with the same conclusion about all of them--

*the cake was a little dry
*the frosting was too sweet
*there was too much frosting for the size of the cupcake (the c:f was greatly over-powered by f), the way John described it, he felt like he needed to eat the cupcake with a knife in hand and continuously spread the frosting as he bit into the cupcake. I took a different approach and simply took off one dollop of frosting off all together.

Overall, after all the raving I had heard, I was a little disappointed. BUT, I still had not given up on SWEET. When I was in the Harvard Square location there was a woman sitting at a table eating a carrot cake cupcake that she absolutely loved, and it was the cupcake that the employee had recommended, so of course when I was walking down Newbury St last week and saw the newest location of SWEET, I simply had to go try it out for myself.

SWEET's "Organic Karat" cupcake is simply to die for!!

*the cake itself was moist and rich of carrot peels
*the creamcheese frosting was rich and creamy, but not too sugary, and not too cheesy
*and the c:f was JUST RIGHT for this particular cupcake
*but for one cupcake it cost almost $3

Now, I don't know if the dramatic difference in cupcakes was because I visited the Harvard Square location at 5pm and the Newbury Street one at 11am (possibly sitting out for a little while vs. very fresh), or if it had to do with my choice of cupcakes. My friend mentioned that she always finds SWEET's vanilla cupcake a little dry, so probably just has to do with the product itself.

Overall both experiences I've had at SWEET have been pleasant ones. The staff is friendly and very helpful. The stores are both set up similarly, white with pink accents, and extremely clean. Basically right up my alley.

After I had mixed reviews at SWEET I decided to try my luck with a more mainstream cupcake....Whole Foods. Stay tuned for my thoughts on my vanilla cupcake with lemon frosting.


For now..
xo.
-A

Summer of Cupcakes

I was reading through my blog the other day and remembering how much I actually enjoyed writing this past year, so I decided I would continue sharing my thoughts (in hope that some people may actually enjoy reading it it), but when I sat down at my computer to begin writing I found myself at a loss for words. I'm in the middle of a great internship at Big Sister's Association of Greater Boston, and as much as I enjoy it and am learning a great deal about development and working in non-profits, it's not exactly the most exciting thing to write about (mainly because my days consist of sending out emails and sitting around waiting for a response). I decided that my blog would take a break until a more...vibrant experience came my way, but I didn't realize this new experience would come so quickly.....

I knew that my summer wouldn't be the most exciting, working Monday-Thursday 9-1, picking up hours at Radio 92.9 when I could, and with most of my friends living much further south; so I decided I would MAKE FUN for myself which is why I decided this summer I would: FIND THE BEST CUPCAKE IN BOSTON!

Now my plan was to just do this for myself-- I love cupcakes, I love Boston, so this was just an excuse for me to do something in the city outside of work. When I mentioned my plan to people it was suggested that I blog about it. I thought it seemed like a kind of silly idea until last night when I visited the first stop on my list. I never thought I had so much to say about a cupcake.


The size, the c:f (cupcake to frosting radio), the toppings, the flavor, the monetary value of the cupcake, the bakery staff, the interior design of the bakery---it was all being factored in, and I was excited! SO I decided that I would blog about my cupcake adventures. If you have any suggestions about where I should visit, flavors I should try, other factors that I should consider, PLEASE feel free to share.

Hopefully by the end of the summer I will have named the BEST CUPCAKE IN BOSTON! If not, it will be something fun to keep me and you occupied.

Stay tuned, my first review will be posted soon!

xo.
-A

Couldn't wait to get going, but wasn't quite ready to leave

It’s 7:10am and I’m writing this from bus from UEA to Heathrow. As we pulled out of the campus driveway and I watched the Sportspark, Arts Building, and the lake roll past my window I found myself holding back tears. These places, buildings, and landmarks that I have become so familiar with were disappearing behind me and the reality that I will never see them again began to sink in.

I find focusing on missing places is easier than focusing on missing people. I need to have faith that Kieran, Rich, and Rach WILL come visit me and Phoebe at Dickinson next year; in 5, 10, or maybe 15 years I’ll get an invitation to Kari’s wedding and I’ll jump on a plane to Norway to celebrate with her. These things could happen, they will happen—because thinking I may never see them all again is just too sad. As I hugged my friends’ goodbye I acted like it was any other temporary departure, it was easier—and because of the relationship we have I am confident that this was not goodbye for good, that I WILL see them again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last night at dinner Kieran asked Phoebe and then proposed to me to sum up our time abroad in three words. Well, we never did that, but I’ve been thinking about it and the three words I would choose are:

life-changing, overwhelming, unforgettable

I’ve never had a year when I felt so lost and confused, yet perfectly comfortable at the same time. When I was so incredibly happy, but also always felt a little sad. Where I felt perfectly at home, but also constantly homesick.

This year was challenging in ways I did not anticipate, it forced me outside of my comfort zone, and sometimes that was scary as hell. I was expecting a cultural difference, but I did not realize in an English speaking country there would be such a language barrier. I knew I had fewer classes but I didn’t truly comprehend that that meant I would sometimes only leave my flat four hours a week. I was excited to have my own room and bathroom, but the loneliness was sometimes too difficult to handle.

I do not regret my decision to study abroad for a year, but I definitely would do things differently next time. I love England, and can’t wait to come back, but it’s no longer time to look back at the past 9 months, I’m ready to look ahead to the future. To my final SUMMER VACATION, to my internship, to the Red Sox, to summer concerts, to a summer in Boston, and to my senior year. I’m finishing this up as I sit in Starbucks in Heathrow Airport waiting for my gate number to be put up—this chapter of my life will be coming to a close at approximately 8:10pm EST as I land at JFK in New York, but the next one is just around the corner and I’m ready.



Don’t forget about me, I’m not leaving anytime soon.

xo.
-A

London.

As my time abroad begins to come to a close I think one of the things that I will never forget is that while I was here I fell in love...with the city of London.

In all seriousness, from the first time I got lost trying to navigate the double-decker buses back to the Arran House from Tower Bridge 5 hours after landing in August to my last journey into the city wandering the streets of Soho last Friday, I have loved every minute I have spent in London.

I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to share this city with Mom and Dad, John, and Dadda at Christmas-time, and as wonderful as I think London is in the cold, rain, and snow, there is nothing compared to London on a gorgeous, warm, sunny day which is exactly what Phoebe and I had this past Friday. Since last July when I read the opening chapter of A.N. Wilson’s London: A History, and he described the incredible view of the city from the top of Parliament Hill at Hampstead Heath all I wanted to do was see the view for myself. Having been so immersed in the city streets, I was looking forward to have the opportunity to step back and take it all in from afar. Our class was supposed to visit Hampstead Heath on our last day in London in September, but unfortunately it was one of the two days, during the 4 weeks that we had been there, that the rain was so terrible that we wouldn’t have even been able to see the cityscape. Finally I dragged Phoebe and after hiking the area for a while we found ourselves staring at the most gorgeous (fog free) view of the city. It is actually is the opposite view that you see if you are standing up at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich—and for me a perfect end, seeing the city in the exact opposite direction than I did the first time I saw the city from Greenwich in August.



These past few months I have been all over Europe. I have seen beautiful sights, eaten amazing food, and been with the most incredible people. One of my friends will say Barcelona is her favorite city, another loves Paris, just yesterday one friend told me when she visited Kilkenny she felt at home--- I loved traveling, and the places I visited, but there is just something about London that I will never forget.

I will always have a fond memory of the Goodge St Tube stop and nights at The Court with Humanities 309, sitting at Covent Garden on a cool summer evening listening to buskers and developing favorites all over the city (there is a string quartet on Jubilee Bridge that is incredible!), relaxing with a book or my journal in any of the green spaces—a hidden gem in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and emerging myself in the surrounding history, from museums, to cathedrals, to the old Roman wall scattered across the city.

I will never forget all that I learned about London; about travel, about food, about history, about pubs, about fashion, about fear, about love, about myself.

Boston, see you soon; but London, I’ll be back.

Xo.
-A

Sometimes Pictures Just Aren't Enough

Before I go into hibernation so that I can study for my three upcoming exams I decided to upload all of my photos from my trips over the past few months. It was actually really fun to look through the photos because I was able to finally sit and remember the incredible sights I saw, and the forever lasting memories that came with those trips. I did the best I could to journal most days during these trips, but figured rather than summarizing my trips in individual blog posts the best thing would be for me to share my photos so that you could see for yourself exactly what I experienced.

However, as I finished going through my HUNDREDS of photos I couldn't help but find myself a little disappointed. People always say, "A picture speaks a thousand words," but I got to tell you, these pictures DO NOT exude all of the beauty that I attempted to capture. For example one day in Florence my friends and I climbed this hill to see what our hostel owner described as "the best view of Florence", and let me tell you, he was right. From the top of this hill you could see the highest point of the Duomo, the Arno River running underneath the Ponte Vecchio, you could see it all; and it was breathtaking. I didn't want to miss any of it, so I did my best to take a panoramic view with my camera, and I truly thought I had captured it all. But I didn't. A picture never could.

A photo is great for keeping a memory, and I couldn't imagine not having kept the thousands of memories I did, but a photo is tough for sharing. You will be able to get the essence of what I have taken through a picture; but the smells, sounds, and the excitement felt inside the first time I saw the Eiffel Tower, the Trevi Fountain, Big Ben, or Saint Patricks Cathedral---these are things I'm sad I can't share.

I feel so lucky that I have had the opportunity to travel and live in Europe. I cannot wait to come home, but I also can't wait to come back. There are more places that I want to visit than I already have, and there are so many places I want to return to so that I can share the moments with the ones I love. I want you all to remember: the incredible lasagna I had in Florence, the Croque Madame I savoured in Dublin, the unusual calm that surrounded me the first time I saw Buckingham Palace, the talented guitarist I stumbled upon in Madrid, the smell of Borough Market any day of the week in London--these are things I will always remember. And as much as I want the ones I love to understand these things too, they are the things that I will never take for granted.

My travles were amazing, and below I have included a few highlights from my trips. I am currently trying to figure out how to link all of my photo albums, but for now enjoy this brief glimpse into my journey.

xo.
-A



1. View of the city of Athens
2. Patsy, Me, and Phoebe in Oia
3. Me and Patsy throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain
4. Oia
5. Rialto Bridge, Venice
6. Rainbow over Piazza after thunderstorm in Florence
7. Me at castle in Lisbon
8. St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin

I don't cry..

That's what I told someone last night, I don't cry. But that's not true. At all.

In fact I do cry; a lot.

During the season finale of Gilmore Girls I remember choking back tears when Lorelai and Luke finally ended up together, WHENEVER I see a wedding (in person, pictures, or even on tv), in almost every episode of The Biggest Loser I get emotional, everytime I hear "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle, on those lonely nights this year in England when all I wanted to do was be at home, I even remember after Siobhán and I saw "The Notebook" in theatres for the first time we had to wear oversized sunglasses for at least an hour after to hide our swollen, bloodshot eyes....trust me, I cry.

So why last night did I say I don't?

One thing I've noticed in particular is that no matter how much I WANT to cry, especially when saying goodbye, I can't. The only teary goodbye I can recall is last spring when I was saying goodbye to my roommates Phoebe and Catherine. And it was a blubbery, messy goodbye. But all the times my parents have dropped me off at Dickinson, bringing me to the airport in August, and again in January--my eyes would fill up, but nothing came out. I've had to say goodbye to somebody three times already since we met in September, and in those moments not a single tear rolled down my cheek.

Maybe subconsciously I feel the need to be strong. That I don't want to break down in front of the people closest to me so they don't have to worry about me. Vulnerability is scary. But the people who I hide my tears from are those in my life who know me better than anybody else.

I'm already vulnerable. Why not show emotion, show tears.

xo.
-A